Tag: Saddiq Bey

Pistons’ Saddiq Bey promoted to Team USA for Olympic exhibition games

Bey is reportedly among three players that will be promoted from the USA Basketball select team to the Olympic team.

Detroit Pistons guard Saddiq Bey is reportedly among three players that will be promoted from the USA Basketball select team to the Olympic team for five upcoming exhibition games, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Bey, along with San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, will be filling in for Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton during the exhibition games. Those three players will join the team after the NBA Finals.

The U.S. will begin its exhibition schedule on Saturday versus Nigeria from Las Vegas, Nevada (8 p.m. EST on NBC Sports Network). The Americans will then play two games against Australia and wrap up exhibition play with one game apiece versus Argentina and Spain.

Bey, who was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team, was among 17 players named to the select team that practiced and scrimmaged against the Olympic team this week. Bey said earlier this week he was surprised to receive the invitation but was excited nonetheless.

“It is my first time being a part of a USA event so it’s a blessing and an honor,” Bey said on Tuesday. “Once I found out, I was ecstatic for the opportunity and continue to work and trying to be the best I can and help the main team bring home the gold.”

Preliminary play in the Olympics, which will feature 12 teams across three groups, will begin July 25 and run through Aug. 2. The quarterfinals will start on Aug. 3 and consist of the top two teams in each group from the preliminary phase.

USA Basketball was placed into Group A for the Olympics, which also features France, the Czech Republic and Iran. The U.S. will open with France on July 25 at 8 a.m. EST.

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Saddiq Bey was surprised to earn invite to USA Basketball camp

Bey was among 17 players named to the select team that opened up training camp this week versus the Olympic roster.

Detroit Pistons guard Saddiq Bey on Tuesday called the experience of participating with the USA Basketball select team very beneficial for his development.

Bey, who was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team, was among 17 players named to the select team that opened training camp this week in Las Vegas, Nevada. The select team is practicing and scrimmaging daily to prepare the U.S. national team for the Olympics.

The experience for Bey and the rest of the select team will serve as a valuable opportunity to learn from some of the best players and coaches in the world. They will have the chance to pick the brains of Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and others.

“It is very beneficial to be able to play different guys and a different role,” Bey said. “Just being able to adapt and run other systems and other sets and learn from different people. There is a lot of wisdom here and a lot of experience here, so I think it is very beneficial to learn from some of the best.”

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For Bey, the invitation to compete with the select team was a surprise. He had not participated in any earlier Team USA events, but he certainly welcomed the opportunity to help prepare the national team.

“It was a surprise,” Bey said. “It is my first time being a part of a USA event so it’s a blessing and an honor. Once I found out, I was ecstatic for the opportunity and continue to work and trying to be the best I can and help the main team bring home the gold.”

Bey averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 70 games this season while setting the Pistons rookie record for most 3-pointers made. His 175 3-pointers marked the third-highest by any rookie in NBA history, and he also had the most games with at least six 3s with five.

The U.S. will be among five countries that will play five exhibition games in Las Vegas prior to heading to Japan for the Olympics. The Americans will face Nigeria on July 10; two games against Australia and one apiece versus Argentina and Spain will follow.

Preliminary play in the Olympics, which will feature 12 teams across three groups, will begin July 25 and run through Aug. 2. The quarterfinals will start on Aug. 3 and consist of the top two teams in each group from the preliminary phase.

The semifinals will take place on Aug. 5 with the gold and bronze medal games on Aug. 7.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Edwards, Haliburton among 17 players named to USA Basketball select team

The select team will practice and scrimmage daily with the Olympic team July 6-9 in Las Vegas.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton on Thursday were among 17 players named to the USA Basketball select team.

The select team will practice and scrimmage daily with the Olympic team July 6-9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They will help prepare the national team for five exhibition games prior to the start of the Tokyo Olympics, which begin on July 25.

Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat will serve as the head coach of the select team. Gonzaga head coach Mark Few, who served as an assistant coach with the 2019 select team, and Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley will serve as assistant coaches to Spoelstra.

The 2021 USA Basketball select team:

Player Team
Saddiq Bey Detroit Pistons
Miles Bridges Charlotte Hornets
Anthony Edwards Minnesota Timberwolves
Darius Garland Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyrese Haliburton Sacramento Kings
Tyler Herro Miami Heat
John Jenkins Bilbao Basket (Italy)
Keldon Johnson San Antonio Spurs
Josh Magette Darüşşafaka Tekfen (Turkey)
Dakota Mathias Philadelphia 76ers
Immanuel Quickley New York Knicks
Naz Reid Minnesota Timberwolves
Cam Reynolds Houston Rockets
Isaiah Stewart Detroit Pistons
Obi Toppin New York Knicks
P.J. Washington Charlotte Hornets
Patrick Williams Chicago Bulls

The U.S. will be among five countries that will play five exhibition games in Las Vegas prior to heading to Japan for the Olympics. They will face Nigeria beginning on July 10 with two games against Australia to follow and one apiece versus Argentina and Spain.

Preliminary play in the Olympics, which will feature 12 teams across three groups, will begin July 25 and run through Aug. 2. The quarterfinals will start on Aug. 3 and consist of the top two teams in each group from the preliminary phase.

The semifinals will take place on Aug. 5 with the gold and bronze medal games on Aug. 7.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rumor: Mavericks nearly drafted Saddiq Bey over Josh Green last year

Some executives and scouts within the Mavericks were apparently upset the team took Green over Bey.

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When the Dallas Mavericks were on the clock last year in the NBA draft, the organization selected guard Josh Green from the University of Arizona with the 18th pick.

However, they almost took Saddiq Bey from Villanova.

According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, some within the Mavericks organization wanted to draft Bey. Others wanted to take Green because of his analytical grade. Because of the split, some executives and scouts were upset when Green was the selection.

The revelation was made by Wasserman on Thursday after Bey was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team following a strong first season with the Pistons. He was chosen one pick after Green by the Pistons and certainly had a good year.

Bey averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 70 games while setting the Pistons rookie record for most 3-pointers made. His 175 3-pointers marked the third-highest by any rookie in NBA history and he also had the most games with at least six 3s with five.

While Bey certainly had the better season, it may not be fair to compare the two players. Green was on a veteran-heavy team competing for a championship and did not play often, while the Pistons allowed Bey to log heavy minutes and play through his mistakes.

Green can still develop into a heavy rotation player like Bey; he showed flashes throughout the season of his potential. The jury from last year’s draft is still out, obviously, and it is far too early to tell if the Mavericks made a mistake taking Green over Bey.

The Mavericks have a litany of issues to sort through, and the decision to select Green over Bey hardly seems worth sweating at this point. But, when it is all said and done, Bey could very well be one of the top players from the draft.

Dallas certainly hopes the same will be said about Green.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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NBA All-Rookie: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards headline the First Team

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards headlined the 2020-21 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, the NBA Rookie of the Year, and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards headlined the 2020-21 NBA All-Rookie First Team, the league announced on Thursday.

Ball and Edwards were each unanimous selections for the First Team after receiving votes on all 99 ballots from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was a finalist for Rookie of the Year, received 98 first-team votes.

Rounding out the NBA All-Rookie First Team were Detroit Pistons guard Saddiq Bey (63 first-team votes) and Houston Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate (57 first-team votes), who went undrafted in 2018. Tate narrowly edged out New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley on the First Team.

The voting was conducted without consideration for positions.

2020-21 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Player Team
LaMelo Ball Charlotte Hornets
Anthony Edwards Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyrese Haliburton Sacramento Kings
Saddiq Bey Detroit Pistons
Jae’Sean Tate Houston Rockets

Quickley, who earned 51 first-team votes, headlined the players on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Joining Quickley were Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro and Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams.

2020-21 NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Player Team
Immanuel Quickley New York Knicks
Desmond Bane Memphis Grizzlies
Isaiah Stewart Detroit Pistons
Isaac Okoro Cleveland Cavaliers
Patrick Williams Chicago Bulls

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2020-21 NBA Season Awards: Predicting All-Rookie teams, snubs

We made our picks for the NBA All-Rookie Teams while also projecting which players will be snubbed this season.

With the NBA regular season behind us, the conversation in the basketball world has shifted toward the playoffs following an exciting weekend of action.

The discussion surrounding several end-of-season awards races also has picked up.

Several categories, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, appear to be anything but locked up. Also included in that debate: the All-Rookie teams.

The rookie class put forth a strong showing this year and likely exceeded expectations. The performances have given the awards voters something to think about and the final tallies should be rather intriguing.

To make sense of it all, Rookie Wire predicted how the All-Rookie first and second teams will play out. We also included players likely to be snubbed from the voting results.

For more awards predictions, check out the official picks by USA TODAY

Note: There are no position restrictions when selecting All-Rookie teams

2020-21 NBA Season Awards: Predicting All-Rookie teams, snubs

We made our picks for the NBA All-Rookie Teams while also projecting which players will be snubbed this season.

With the NBA regular season behind us, the conversation in the basketball world has shifted toward the playoffs following an exciting weekend of action.

The discussion surrounding several end-of-season awards races also has picked up.

Several categories, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, appear to be anything but locked up. Also included in that debate: the All-Rookie teams.

The rookie class put forth a strong showing this year and likely exceeded expectations. The performances have given the awards voters something to think about and the final tallies should be rather intriguing.

To make sense of it all, Rookie Wire predicted how the All-Rookie first and second teams will play out. We also included players likely to be snubbed from the voting results.

For more awards predictions, check out the official picks by USA TODAY

Note: There are no position restrictions when selecting All-Rookie teams

Rookie of the Year Race: Our final rankings of the 2020-21 season

After an incredibly strange draft cycle, the new class of rookies has now completed their first regular season in the NBA.

After an incredibly strange draft cycle, the new class of rookies has now completed their first regular season in the NBA.

Despite the unusual offseason and then compacted schedule of their debut campaigns, there are several young players and fresh faces who have made their presence known all season long.

To celebrate that, every month, we released our updated rankings for the Rookie of the Year race. To see the changes from April, you can read the previous version here.

Like our weekly MVP rankings, every member of our team voted on their personal Top 10 rankings for Rookie of the Year. We averaged out the results to get a cumulative ranking from the HoopsHype staff.

All relevant statistics are pulled from Basketball-Reference, RealGM or NBA.com unless noted otherwise.

Pistons’ Saddiq Bey finished among the all-time rookie leaders in 3s

Bey reached a number of milestones this season, and ranked among the all-time leaders in 3-pointers by a rookie.

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Detroit Pistons guard Saddiq Bey turned in an impressive rookie season this year, and the 19th pick placed among elite company in the process.

Bey finished the season averaging 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 70 games on 38% shooting from 3-point range. He reached a number of milestones this season, including the most games by a rookie with at least five 3-pointers and the most 3s in a season (175) in team history.

His 175 total 3-pointers are third-most all-time by a rookie, behind Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell.

The most 3-pointers in a season by a rookie in NBA history

  1. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (2017-18): 187
  2. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13): 185
  3. Saddiq Bey, Detroit Pistons (2020-21): 175
  4. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-21): 171
  5. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (2018-19): 168

Bey likely would have surpassed the record set by Mitchell had the 2020-21 season been a full, 82-game schedule. While he came up just short, Bey was recently made aware of the record but wasn’t focusing too heavily on it.

“I remember somebody asked me that before a couple of games ago,” Bey said. “I try to just play every game and just take whatever is there for me and try to be the best that I can be. Whatever comes with that, whatever accolades or not, I was just trying to be the best I can be every day.”

The performance by Bey this season will likely earn him some additional recognition in the NBA All-Rookie conversation once the awards are announced. He represents a big piece moving forward for the Pistons as the organization looks to rebuild.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Anthony Edwards reigns supreme in final countdown

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2020-21 season.

With less than a week to go in the regular season, playoff races around the league are heating up as teams look to stamp their tickets into the postseason.

Of course, other teams are already looking ahead to next season and have turned things over to their rookies and other young players. One thing is certain, these rookies haven’t given up on the season as many are playing some of their best basketball.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the final edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings this season. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.